The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-02-12
THE BEE.KEEPER



Dr. james A. Minich, of Indlanapolis writes
10 the Bee Journal: We can scarcely pick mn
pee paper that has not something to saw on
this subject We hear it discussed ad infinI-
tum AT our conventions; aid of remedies to
suaru against winter loss there is no end 1t
IL amusing to see how widely apiarists differ.
and the variance of their opinions I have
listened patiently, and have faithfully read all
the theories do not object to any and ali
the plans that have been given from time to
uihe; tney are all good enough as far as they
90. IL Is we'll TO put chaff cushions. forest
leaves, or any good absorbent in the miner
story OF the hive; or to pack straw or Jaw
dust or chaff around the outsides of the hive.
contract the brood chamber to five or six
frames; make passageways through the
combs, OF place sticks on top for the same
purpose, and put them into a suitable cellar
All these cautionary measures are proper and
most oil theln necessary to s'ccess The bees
Will generally winter we'll and come ont In the
spring all right, and every bee-k keeper feels as
though he had solved the winter problem and
he cries Eureka"
But sooner or later an epidemic comes and
the bees die in spite OF all the above plans and
remedies, and a change comes DER the spirit
OF his dreams And again the discussion be-
glns-"too much pollen" too much yentiIa-
ton, or not enough; too much heat or too
much cold, or too damp; and more remedies
are offered Now, why is it that these cpl
denies VIII come every few years? In nv
opinion the main reason has been overlooked
! nave observed that every epidemic among
bees has been preceded by drought the sum.
mer or fall previous. / wish every apiarist to
make note of this This WAS the case the
summer and fall OF 1880, and il was followed
IN the winter by great fatality among the bees
1t was the case thirteen or fourteen years ago
i can not tell the year-and the bees were al
most annihlated the following winter " Cen
trial Indiana. And in the summer and fan of
1854 there was sufficient drought at the proper
time to bring about the same result.
But how could it affect the bees? YOU ask
In two ways: /, tits well known fact that
fiowers Will not bloom and honey will not flow
III dry weather, and consequently the queens
cease to lay eggs, and breeding stops
NOV one can readily see that colonies
Will nave TO go INTO winter quar-
tiers with old June and July bees
which were ready 10 die from old age and ex-
laustion; or perchaDce few of them might
linger few weeks longer, and zone by one
they pass away in the spring1sprlng dwin-
ding, caused by old age. =. Dry weather Is
conducive 10 the secretion of honey dew. or
bug Juice, and bees will gather it and store
IL away for the winter, which causes diarrhea
among the bees and consequent death.
The remedy: Taking the above to be facts
the remedy is now plain enough, the winter
problem is solved. When dry weather sets in,
and the honey flow ceases in August and Sep
tember, the bees shonld be fed regularly so as
to stimulate late breeding. This should be done
regularly, or the queens will not have much
confidence i'll the future outlook, and will stop
laying. Honey dew should be excluded in ev-
cry way possible. 1t can be detected as soon
as the bee-keeper sees il. Take it out and feed
them bountlfully on cane-sugar strip. If you
will be az careful in this respect as you are in
others, you will have no losses. Remember
that your greatest trouble is caused by
droughts, and that if your colonies can go into
winter quarters with young bees, with pure
honey or strip. cushions of chat or leaves on
top, pas ages for the bees TO travel from comb
to comb, and keeping them quiet and not both
ering them at all in their long rest, you will
see them all come out booming in the spring
No matter how severe the winter may be, they
will survive and come out all right on the
above couditlona